Ruffling the feathers!
The Egyptians wore it, and so did the Amazonians, and later the Europeans. Prada, Fendi and Burberry might have glamorized it now, but the feathers have been around since the Ancient Ages.
Ancient Egyptians recognized the Ostrich feather as a symbol of truth. Goddess of Truth and Justice, Ma’at, was seen endorsing it. Feathered banners are widely used in religious ceremonies and ritual dances since the 16th century Brazil. Native Americans also wear war bonnets made of feathers made from tail of the golden eagle. Feathered spirit masks worn by
the indigenous Brazilian tribe Tapirape, play an important role in dry-season ceremonies performed by the Bird Societies as they circle their village and sing songs of the respective bird species.
Feathers are way more than just symbols now. Not only are they in fashion but they are also used to make things like pillows, cushions, toys and medicine bags among others. But the most favorite creation with feathers have been the clothes. Now mainstream, feather clad clothes have become the rage.
People used feathers in their costumes since late 500CE. By late 10th century, the feather fashion had reached England; remember Robin Hood sporting a feather in his cap? One of the most popular feather costume was
the masquerade mask used mainly by European aristocrats during 16th century. Slowly and gradually feathers started being produced so that it could percolate down the masses. And percolate it did, as in the 20th century we saw feathered head gears and dresses making a slash in the entertainment industry. Entertainers, used feather boas to enhance their performance. The feather costume provided more advantages in the form of a wide range of colors, breezy feel, fun and unconventional vibe.
However, the feather fashion has put quite a lot of birds in danger over the last couple of centuries. Feathers of peacock, turkey, guinea hen and likes are used more frequently than others, creating a huge population gap in these species. But after awareness campaigns from NGOs and governments of various countries, artificial feathers are manufactured to look more real and presentable.
Artificial feathers can be bought online and in stores. You can wear your feathers in your summer hat with a dress, or wear feathers as lining in your dress. There are a million different options to choose from thanks to the various different innovations done over the years. Choose your perfect feather costume at Beverlyheels.com.
